Basildon
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about Basildon from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover your local listed buildings and places
Introducing some of Basildon's most historic sites, included in the National Heritage List for England. Some of these captions have been summarised by AI. Click through for the official List entry.
War memorials at Dollyman's Farm
Wickford
Two war memorials, erected around 1920, dedicated to two British pilots killed in service at this site during the First World War.
Church of St Catherine
Wickford
Rebuilt entirely 1875-6 by Henry Stone but reusing old material and incorporating a late medieval roof. Choir vestry 1934 by John Leech, extended by Wykeham Chancellor and Bragg in 1957.
Pair of K6 telephone kiosks
Billericay
A pair of K6 telephone kiosks. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Church of St Michael
Basildon
Tower and altar of the former Church of St Michael, built in the early C16; the nave and chancel were rebuilt in 1871 to architectural designs by Sir Arthur Blomfield and demolished around...
Basildon through time
This timeline shows the first period of use for buildings and places on the National Heritage List for England, just one of the details recorded for every list entry. Click around to see how Basildon changes over time.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of Basildon
Aerial photography helps reveal secrets of England's changing landscapes that are impossible to see from the ground.
Wickford
Edward Farr Ltd Engineering Works and environs, Wickford, 1949
Shotgate
Edward Farr Ltd Engineering Works, Shotgate, 1952
Billericay
The High Street and town, Billericay, 1952
Billericay
The High Street and town, Billericay, 1952
Billericay
The High Street and town, Billericay, 1952
Bowers Gifford
St Margaret's Church, Bowers Gifford, 1952
Billericay
The High Street, Chapel Street and the town, Billericay, 1952
Billericay
The town, Billericay, 1928
Bowers Gifford
The Medieval Homestead Moat at Bowers Hall, Bowers Gifford, 1952
Bowers Gifford
The Medieval Homestead Moat at Bowers Hall, Bowers Gifford, 1952
Basildon in the Historic England Archive
The Historic England Archive cares for over 15 million images, dating from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of Basildon's past.
Charles George Harper Collection
Laindon, Basildon, Essex
Date created: 1892 - 1933
Interior view of the Priest's Room at St Nicholas' Church
John Laing Collection
Basildon, Essex
Date created: 14 Mar 1986
View of the interior entrance to C&A in the Eastgate Shopping Centre in Basildon
John Laing Collection
Basildon, Essex
Date created: 14 Mar 1986
View of the main interior concourse of Eastgate Shopping Centre in Basildon
John Laing Collection
Basildon, Essex
Date created: 14 Mar 1986
A view looking along an upper floor of the Eastgate Shopping Centre towards a spiral staircase, with the mall visible through the right hand window
John Laing Collection
Basildon, Essex
Date created: 14 Mar 1986
A view towards Allders department store on two floors of the Eastgate Shopping Centre
John Laing Collection
Basildon, Essex
Date created: 14 Mar 1986
Looking along the glazed barrel vaulted roof of the mall in the Eastgate Shopping Centre, showing the escalators below
John Laing Collection
Basildon, Essex
Date created: Mar 1986
The interior of the shopping mall at the Eastgate Shopping Centre seen from the escalators
John Laing Collection
Basildon, Essex
Date created: 13 Apr 1984
A view looking north-west from the roof of a building near the south-east corner of Eastgate Shopping Centre, showing the construction of phase II in...
John Laing Collection
Basildon, Essex
Date created: 20 Jul 1983
A Datapoint 1550 computer installed in an office overlooking the construction site of the new Eastgate Shopping Centre
John Laing Collection
Basildon, Essex
Date created: 14 Aug 1984
Looking up in the recently completed mall at the Eastgate Shopping Centre
John Laing Collection
Basildon, Essex
Date created: 13 Sep 1982
An aerial view from the south-east showing the construction site for phase II of the Eastgate Shopping Centre
John Laing Collection
Basildon, Essex
Date created: 13 Sep 1982
An aerial view from the south-west showing the construction site for phase II of the Eastgate Shopping Centre
Stories about heritage in your local area
Historic England publishes news, blogs, research, videos, and podcasts celebrating England's rich heritage. Discover the stories we have about Basildon.
A Brief Introduction to Vernacular Houses
Mentions Coopers Cottage
Vernacular houses were built to reflect local customs and traditions using locally available materials like wood, stone and brick.
Southend-on-Sea Civic Fountain Listed
Mentions Basildon
The Civic Fountain in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, has been listed at Grade II by DCMS on the advice of Historic England.
War Memorials to Airmen Listed to Mark Centenary of the Royal Air Force
Mentions War memorials at Dollyman's Farm
To mark the centenary of the RAF, 14 war memorials to airmen are being listed or upgraded by DCMS on the advice of Historic England.
Basildon's social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about their local area.
The mall at the Eastgate Shopping Centre, Basildon, Essex
Period: 1980s (1980 - 1989)
The Eastgate Shopping centre opened in phases between 1980 and 1985. Phase 2 was built between 1982-5 by John Laing plc.
The mall at the Eastgate Shopping Centre, Basildon, Essex
Stockwell Hall, Little Burstead, Essex
Period: Tudor (1485 - 1602)
This timber framed house was formerly owned by the Earl of Mexborough. It was originally constructed in the 16th century.
Stockwell Hall, Little Burstead, Essex
Brooke House, Town Square, Basildon, Essex
Period: 1960s (1960 - 1969)
This 14 storey tower block of flats was built in 1960-62.
Brooke House, Town Square, Basildon, Essex
Discover more
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